Eureka, it's the Ghost!
by Balin Lord of Moria
Summary: Roger Wilco, his wife, and his crew contact the Ghost's crew. Roger and Beatrice want in on the adventures of the Rebels against the Empire for a little while, but some of his crew are less enthusiastic.


**A/N:** I must confess, I haven't played _Space Quest V: The Next Mutation_, the SQ game that shows the StarCon, the _SCS Eureka_, and it's crew, but I've read a lot about them, so I'm making some educated guesses here as to how Roger, his future wife, Beatrice Wankmeister, and the _Eureka's_ crew would talk and behave.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Space Quest_ or _Star Wars Rebels_. Sierra Entertainment owns the former, and Disney owns the latter.

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><p>It is very cold in space, they say. That is certainly true. Then that must mean that there is nothing colder than space garbage, because nothing heats it, like active machinery does, and it freezes colder than ice in the depths of space.<p>

And none knew that better than the garbage scows of the Star Confederation, particularly one known as the _SCS Eureka_, which was presently flown by Captain Roger Wilco and his crew, nav/weapons specialist Droole, communications specialist Flo, engineer Cliffy, and sciende officer robot W-D40.

They all bore their own personalities. Roger was a cheerful, but bungling, former janitor who had become something of a hero more or less by accident over the past months. A very under-appreciated hero, but a hero nonetheless. Droole was ambitious but snarky, not to mention outspoken, wisecracking, and smart. Flo was somewhat vain, which was surprising for such a putrid looking alien woman, and had a snotty attitude, but she always liked to make the moves on various men, given how many husbands she had won and lost over her life. Cliffy was grouchy and cantankerous, but proud of the machines he worked with. And W-D40, a former Annihilator robot, was once Roger's enemy, but after being reprogrammed and rebuilt, she was very professional and good at her job, if somewhat aloof. And while all of them got off on the wrong foot with Roger initially, he ultimately earned their respect, and they turned out to be surprisingly loyal to him.

They were just now taking another round of picking up space garbage for StarCon, when they found themselves in a part of the Confederation they didn't recognize.

"Uh, Captain Wilco?" asked Droole. "It appears that we're lost again. I told you that we should've stayed within the known boundaries of the Star Confederacy."

"Yes, I know, Officer Droole," said Roger, "But it's my opinion that we have to be thorough with our job of cleaning up the galaxy. I wasn't always thorough when I did my job as a janitor, and that's why I used to get in so much trouble."

"Captain," said Flo, "there's another ship nearby, but it doesn't look like space garbage. I think it's active."

"It is," said W-D40, "There are several life forms onboard, and I believe there is one robot on it as well."

"Contact them, Officer Flo," said Roger, "Tell them hello and we come in peace, in all known StarCon languages."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Wilco?" Droole asked him. "What if they're enemies of the peace, and they try to attack us?"

"Oh, come on, Officer Droole," said Roger with a smile, "We can't assume that every strange ship is an enemy, can we?"

Droole shook his head. "It still sounds like intelligence to me to take precautions. But then again," he muttered to himself, "Wilco isn't really the type to put his thinking cap on. No wonder he _bumbled_ his way through every heroic act he committed!"

"I heard that, Droole!" said Roger, "Respect and obey your superior officers. Remember that."

"Ha!" thought Droole, "He's already forgotten how much we resent blind obedience. Wilco's trusting attitude and bumbling actions are overdeveloped. They're going to get him into trouble someday."

"Captain!" interrupted Flo, "The pilot of the other ship has just contacted us, and she wishes to know who we are and what sort of ship this is."

"What?" said Droole. "They've never heard of the Star Confederation before, or this infamous garbage scow?"

"Hmm, interesting," said Roger. "Let me talk to her."

"Hello," said a mature female voice, "This is Hera Syndulla of the _Ghost_. What is a garbage scow doing out in this part of the Outer Rim? And what is SCS supposed to be short for?"

The crew glanced at each other. Roger decided to talk before one of his crew could break the peace with a smart aleck remark.

"This is Captain Roger Wilco of the _SCS Eureka_," he said, "We are part of the Star Confederation, the chief ruling body of several galaxies in the universe, including our own, the Earnon galaxy. Our job is to clean up space garbage, of course. How about you? What sort of things do you do onboard that ship you call the _Ghost?_"

There was a long pause, as if Hera was considering the question. Then, another voice, belonging to a young man, said, "We are a small band of Rebels, working together to undermine an evil galactic regime called the Galactic Empire. And we hope that you don't reveal any of this to the Imperial forces. Can we trust you?"

Droole looked at Roger. "Don't be too quick to humor them, sir, please?" he asked. "We don't know anything about them, and they may be rogues who are trying to take over the StarCon!"

But Roger smiled again and said to the man over the conn, "Absolutely, mister. In fact, how'd you like to come aboard our ship for a more formal meeting? Or we could come aboard yours? Maybe we can work out something that will be beneficial for all of us."

Droole rolled his eyes in disappointment. Flo did the same. W-D40 made no response, positive or negative.

"I don't see why not," said Hera's voice again. "Why don't you come onto our ship? It's a little small, but we'd feel a little better meeting you here, just in case this is a trick."

"Sure, why not?" Roger replied. Droole still thought Roger was too trusting, and looked like he wanted to say so.

"And we have weapons, too," concluded Hera, "So if this is a trick, don't think that we'll go down without a fight."

"I understand," said Roger, "All good guys have to be cautious around guys that could be bad guys. I've taken that advice myself, in the past."

"Roger," said Hera, "Hera out."

Droole didn't hesitate to say, "Captain, when are you going to take _my_ advice and be less trusting of strange people?"

Roger said mildly, "Officer Droole, when are you gonna learn that we have to trust people sometimes? They don't seem to have any reason or motive to eat us alive or mutate us, like the Pukoids did. Now, let's dock with the _Ghost_, and get ready to beam onboard it. I'm going to run down to my quarters and let Beatrice know about our new encounter. She'll want to meet these people too. I'm sure of it."

He hurried out of the bridge and down to his quarters at the next moment.

Droole muttered to Flo, "I think the day Roger's trust and bumbling are going to get him (and us) into trouble is almost here already."

"Not to me," said Flo. "To me, it seems like that day already came long ago, and is going to keep on happening indefinitely!"

"To me," said W-D40, "it seems that Roger's trust and bumbling are what get us out of trouble, not into it. Roger Wilco is a good man, and a good hero."

Flo shrugged helplessly. "What an incredible universe!"

* * *

><p>"Beatrice!" said Roger to the lovely young woman lying on his two-person bunk. He liked the way Beatrice C. Wankmeister's blond hair spread out on the pillow. But right now, it seemed that she was in a deep sleep. He reached down to kiss her on the lips.<p>

That was enough to wake her up.

"Roger, baby," she said sweetly, "Good to see you. Have you come for another nice little session of foreplay?" She grinned and winked.

Roger grinned back. "Afraid not, this time. We've just gone wandering into some uncharted part of the universe, and-"

"You're lost again?" Beatrice interrupted, clearly amused. "Leave it to good old Roger Wilco to bungle his way into a sticky situation!"

"Yeah, that's me," said Roger, looking sheepish. "But unlike most people, you like that quality in me, right?"

She patted his arm. "Of course, I do, Roger," she said. "Now get on with what you were saying, please."

"Well, anyway," said Roger, "We just met an old spaceship called the Ghost, and I think its crew is friendly. In fact, I think they may be able to give us a good excuse for some more adventure."

Beatrice was happy to hear that. "That's great, Roger. Here, help me get dressed so we can go and meet them as soon as possible."

Roger grinned again. "I'd be delighted, Your Highness."


End file.
